1 Chronicles 16:25For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. David has just unified Israel's 12 tribes under one king and one worship center. Surrounding nations have dozens of gods each. David declares Yahweh supreme over all of them.
The emotion here: overwhelmed by majesty, struggling to find adequate words
The original word
yare (יִרָּ֔א) — reverential awe mixed with healthy fear, like standing at cliff's edge
Why it matters
David wrote this when Israel was surrounded by nations worshipping Baal, Molech, Dagon, and dozens of other gods
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 16:25
The word 'feared' here isn't terror — it's the breathless awe you feel staring at the Grand Canyon
Common misconceptionPeople think 'fear of the Lord' means being scared of God's punishment, but David means breathless wonder — like a child seeing the ocean for the first time.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Chronicles 16:25
Bible Genome reading
1 Chronicles 16:25 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Chronicles 16:25 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine greatness, proper reverence, God's supremacy. Notable phrases: great is Yahweh; greatly to be praised; to be feared.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does 1 Chronicles 16:25 mean to you, today?
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